Dispensing cabinet



July 9, 1929. G. c. ALDRICH DISPENSING CABINET Filed Feb. 7, 1928 Patented July 9,1929.

GLEN CLARE ALDRICH, or nNmox AHoMA.

nisPENsINe CABINET.

Application filed February 7 1928 Serial No. 252,494.

This invention relates to a dispensing cabinet the general object of the invention being to provide means for discharging articles from a display tube or magazine forming part of the cabinet by the manipulation a lever. o y i i A more particular object of the invention is to provide a convenient and sanitary dcvice for the display of medicinaltablets, and for the' ready delivery of a selected tablet whendesired tobe taken by a customer.

A further object is to provide a tablet dis,-

playing anddispensing cabinet of the above kind which is simple in construction, pleasing and attractive in appearance, efficient in use, and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects will become apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, and the same consists in the novel form,

combinatibn andarrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawing and claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a :5 dispensing cabinet embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is a view thereof partly in vertical section and partly in side elevation; and

F igiire 3 is a horizontalsection on line- 3-3 of Figure 2.

Referring more in detail to the drawing, 5 indicates a housing which is adapted to be placed on a counter or other support and carrying a plurality of upright display tubes or transparent magazines 6, each designed to receive a stack of articles or tablets 7 to be displayed and dispensed. The magazines 6 preferably consist of open-ended glass tubes, into the upper ends of which the tablets are introduced, the upper ends of said tubes being closed by suitable removable stoppers 8 which are preferably connected by a: cross bar 9 to steady the display tubes and facilitate removal of the stoppers. The lower ends of the magazines 6 are fitted in openings 10, which are provided in the forward portion of the top wall of the housing 5 so as to intersect the upper portion 11 of the front wall of said housing and define pairs of oppose-d tongues 12 directly above the outlet slots 13 in the wall portion 11 through which the tablets are delivered. As the tongues 12 are outwardly curved to conform to the shape of the magazines, and as the slots 13 are of a width lesser than the diameter of the magazines, the portions of the front wall 11 at opposite sides of the slots 13 define supporting ledgcs 14 upon which the lower edges of the magazines rest, In this way, the magazines are supported with their lower edges in theplane of the upper edges of the slots 13 so that the lowest tablets may be freely delivered through said slots. The tongues 12 of each pair arespaccd apart to expose the lower end of the associated magazine therebetwecn, as at 15, whereby it may be readily seen when the magazine is empty, The material of the top wall of the housing 5 may be utilized to provide a depending curved fiange lG at the back of each opening 10 shaped to fit against and brace the adjacent magazine. A suitable shelf. or platform 17 is provided in the housing 5 directly beneath the magazines 6 and in the plane of the lower edges of the slots 13 to support the lowest tablets in position for being dispensed.

K Slidable in suitable horizontal guides 18 within the housing 5 are plungers 19 adapted to be moved forwardly to shove the lowest tablets from the shelf 17 through the openings or slots 13, one plunger being provided for each magazine. The forward end of each plunger may be formed with an open ing 20 to receive the lowest tablet of the associated magazine, so that the forward end of the plunger at the front of the opening 20 may normally close the adjacent slot 13 as shown in Figure 2.

The front of the housing 5 is of stepped form to provide an elevated platform 21 in front of and directly below the slots 13 for supporting a tray 22 in position to receive a the tablets as they are dispensed.

A plurality of key levers 23 are pivotally 9 supported ln-the housmg, at 24, these levers being of hell crank shape and extending through slots 25 formed in the front of the housing below the platform 21. The outerend of each lever is provided with a finger piece 26, and the inner end of each lever is pivotally and slidably connected with a plunger 19, as at 27, so that when a lever is depressed, the associated plunger is projected so that its forward end will pass outwardly through the adjacent slot 13 and carry the lowermost tablet entirely through said slot until it drops from the opening 21 into the tray spring 28 connects each lever 23 to the hous- 22. A tension ing 5 for returning the lever tonormal p0- sition and normally retractingtheplunger.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that after a customer has indicated the kind of tablethe desires to take, the tablets being in full view through the magazines, the clerk will manipulate the proper lever so that the plunger to which the lever is' connected will be projected to eject the lowermost tablet, of the stack of tablets which the customer wishes, and deliver the same into the tray 22. Thus, the tablets are kept in dust proof magazines, and the v are'handled only as ab s'olutely necessary ythe clerk or customer.-

housing for dispensing the lowermost article from each. magazine.

2. In a dispensing cabinet, a housing hav ing an opening in the top wall thereof and a slot in the front wall thereof, a tubular magazine having its lower end fitted in said opening and restingat its lower edge on portions of the front wall at opposite sides 'of'the slot and flush with the'top of the latter, a shelf within the housing beneath the lower end of the magazine and flush with the bottom of said slot to support the lowermost article of the stack of articles in the magazine, manually operable means to eject the lowermost article from said shelf outwardly through said slot, said magazine being transparent, and said front wall of the housing having a pair of tongues partially embracing the lower end of the magazine above and at opposite sides of said slot, said tongues being spaced to expose the lower end of the magazine therebetween.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

GLEN CLARE ALDRICH. 

